NATURE PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Belgian part of the North Sea (BNS) and the coastal zone are home to numerous human activities, each with its specific impact on the environment. Possible pressures caused by activities at sea include pollution from chemical substances (such as PCBs, PAHs, and heavy metals), oil or marine litter, eutrophication, the introduction of invasive species, biodiversity disturbance, underwater noise, and the disruption of seabed integrity (OSPAR Quality Status Report 2023).

Human activities at sea and in the coastal zone have led to an extensive body of legislation and regulations aimed at mitigating, reducing, or preventing the environmental impact of certain user functions (see Verleye et al. 2018). The OSPAR Convention provides an overarching legal framework for the protection of the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The OSPAR Quality Status assessment—the evaluation of environmental objectives within the OSPAR region as set out in the North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy—can be integrated into national obligations for the initial assessment of marine waters within the framework of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. An overview of relevant legislation, guidelines, technical and scientific reports is available on the website of the Directorate-General Environment.

Belgium has various protection statutes for nature conservation in the coastal and marine region, including Ramsar Wetlands, Natura 2000 sites, Flemish and recognised nature reserves, forest reserves, areas covered by the Dune Decree, protected landscapes, and the Flemish Ecological Network (VEN). Often, multiple protection statutes overlap. The BNS comprises over 1,300 km² or approximately 38% of marine protected areas. In the coastal zone, around 21% of the total area has been granted some form of protected status.

The various thematic chapters of the Compendium for Coast and Sea address the main human activities in the BNS (e.g., fisheries, energy production, sand extraction, and shipping) and their potential direct or indirect impact on the environment. In addition, the thematic chapter ‘Nature and Environment’ specifically focuses on nature conservation and environmental issues within the BNS context. The key environmental challenges of the coastal zone are highlighted in KustINzicht 2025.